Council Members Fight To Keep Braves In Atlanta

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Atlanta (WAOK/CBS Atlanta News) — Although the Atlanta Braves are set to sign a deal that would relocate them to Cobb County, Atlanta City Council members are fighting to keep the Braves at Turner Field. Councilman Michael Bond signed a resolution on Monday that stated that the Atlanta City Council would like to keep the Braves active in Atlanta.

City of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has said that the estimated cost in keeping the team in downtown Atlanta is between $250 and $350 million, but Bond says that he is positive that the city can come up with the funding, citing the hotel-motel and car rental taxes as possible resources.

Councilwoman Carla Smith has began formulating plans to study the future of Turner Field and the surrounding areas through the use of a task force. This task force will be formed with city officials, business leaders, and residents of the community. In addition, residents of the area have said that they will be meeting with the mayor in the coming days in order to understand future redevelopment plans.